Boys suspended for using fingers as guns

BALTIMORE, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- School officials in Maryland suspended two 6-year-old boys for pretending to shoot each other with imaginary guns, a move some parents call "ridiculous."

Officials at a Talbot County elementary school suspended the two boys, who were playing cops and robbers during recess, using their fingers in the shape of imaginary guns, WJZ-TV, Baltimore, reported Tuesday.

"It's ridiculous," said parent Julia Merchant.

This is the second such incident in less than a month in Maryland, after 6-year-old Rodney Lynch was suspended from a Montgomery County school for pretending to fire an imaginary gun at a fellow student.

"They're saying he threatened a student, threatened to shoot a student. He was playing," said Rodney Lynch Sr., the boy's father.

Child psychologist Dr. Joe Kaine said he did not believe Rodney was acting out of maliciousness, and most children that age can't comprehend why something they consider fun might upset adults.

"I can certainly appreciate that at school, that's not a type of play that they are going to endorse and I certainly support that, but that's where we educate the time and place for doing things," he said.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.